Systems to monitor a toilet bowl and to determine a bowl status

Abstract

A method and system having a water-flush toilet having a toilet bowl that is in fluid communication with a water source and is mounted with a sensor. The sensor includes a transmitter to transmit an ultrasonic signal and a receiver to receive an ultrasonic signal. The sensor may measure a Time of Flight (ToF) of the signal to obtain a ToF measurement. A microcontroller is electrically connected to the sensor and may receive and process the ToF measurement using an algorithm to determine a bowl status. The toilet also includes at least one water valve that is disposed between the bowl and the water source, and that is electrically connected to the microcontroller for instructing the at least one water valve to move from a first position to a second position for a duration of time, wherein the duration of time corresponds to the bowl status.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A water-flush toilet comprising
 a toilet bowl in fluid communication with a water source; 
 a monitoring system comprising an ultrasonic sensor having a transmitter and a receiver, a secondary sensor, and a microcontroller electrically connected to the ultrasonic sensor and to the secondary sensor; and 
 a flush valve electrically connected to the microcontroller and disposed between the bowl and the water source, 
 wherein 
 the monitoring system is configured to perform a monitoring cycle, the cycle comprising 
 transmitting an ultrasonic signal towards a bowl contents of the toilet bowl, receiving the ultrasonic signal, determining a Time of Flight (ToF) measurement of the ultrasonic signal, electrically conveying the ToF measurement to the microcontroller, and determining a bowl status corresponding to the ToF measurement, 
 the secondary sensor is configured to detect a presence of a user on or in a proximity of the toilet bowl, and 
 the microcontroller determines the bowl status by comparing the ToF measurement to a normal bowl water level ToF measurement. 
 
     
     
       2. The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein when the secondary sensor detects the presence of the user, the monitoring system is configured to be activated to perform the monitoring cycle. 
     
     
       3. The toilet of  claim 2 , wherein the monitoring system is further configured to be manually activated. 
     
     
       4. The toilet of  claim 2 , wherein the monitoring system is further programmed to be activated at a defined time interval. 
     
     
       5. The toilet of  claim 2 , wherein the monitoring system is further programmed to be activated once every 24 hours. 
     
     
       6. The toilet of  claim 2 , wherein the microcontroller is the programmed with a use schedule, and wherein the use schedule further determines when the monitoring system is activated. 
     
     
       7. The toilet of  claim 2 , wherein the secondary sensor is an infrared sensor. 
     
     
       8. The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the normal bowl water level is a water level sufficient to establish a water seal in the toilet bowl. 
     
     
       9. The toilet of  claim 7 , wherein when the infrared sensor detects the presence of the user and that the user has left the toilet bowl, the monitoring system is activated to perform a monitoring cycle. 
     
     
       10. The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to instruct the flush valve to open, to close, or to remain in a current state based on the bowl status. 
     
     
       11. The toilet of  claim 10 , wherein the bowl status is determined to be “liquid” and the microcontroller instructs the flush valve to move from a closed position to an open position for a duration of time to release a sufficient amount of water to clear the bowl. 
     
     
       12. The toilet of  claim 10 , wherein the bowl status is determined to be “solids” and the microcontroller instructs the flush valve to move from a closed position to an open position for a duration of time to release a sufficient amount of water to clear the bowl. 
     
     
       13. The toilet of  claim 10 , wherein the bowl status is determined to be “intermediary” and the microcontroller instructs the flush valve to move from a closed position to an open position for a duration of time to release a sufficient amount of water to clear the bowl. 
     
     
       14. The toilet of  claim 10 , wherein the bowl status is determined to be “low water” and the microcontroller instructs the flush valve to move from a closed position to an open position for a duration of time to release a sufficient amount of water to restore a water seal. 
     
     
       15. The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to instruct a water source valve to open, to close, or to remain in a current state based on the bowl status. 
     
     
       16. The toilet of  claim 15 , wherein the bowl status is determined to be “leak”, “liquid clog”, “solid clog”, or “object”, and the microcontroller instructs the water source valve to move from an open position to a closed position or to remain in a closed position. 
     
     
       17. The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor comprises a piezo-ceramic transducer. 
     
     
       18. The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor is mounted at an exterior bottom center of the toilet bowl. 
     
     
       19. A system for mounting on a water-flush toilet comprising
 an ultrasonic sensor configured to be located at an exterior surface of a toilet bowl, and having a transmitter and a receiver; 
 a secondary sensor; 
 a microcontroller electrically connected to the ultrasonic sensor and to the secondary sensor; and 
 a flush valve electrically connected to the microcontroller, 
 wherein 
 the system is configured to perform a monitoring cycle to determine a bowl status, 
 the microcontroller is configured to instruct the flush valve to open, to close, or to remain in a current state based on the bowl status, and 
 the monitoring cycle comprises transmitting an ultrasonic signal towards a bowl contents of the toilet bowl, receiving the ultrasonic signal, determining a Time of Flight (ToF) measurement of the ultrasonic signal, electrically conveying the ToF measurement to the microcontroller, and determining the bowl status corresponding to the ToF measurement, 
 the secondary sensor is configured to detect a presence of a user on or in proximity of the toilet bowl, and 
 the microcontroller determines the bowl status by comparing the ToF measurement to a normal bowl water level ToF measurement. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein the system is configured to detect a “normal”, a “leak”, a “liquid clog”, or a “solid clog” bowl status.